Ice Hockey: NY Rangers trade Kovalev, Leetch, Nedved

The New York Rangers dealt forward Alexei Kovalev to the Montreal Canadiens after Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers.

In return, the Rangers will receive 22-year-old prospect Josef Balej, a native of Slovakia, and a second-round selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

The move is an apparent concession that the Rangers will not make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, the past four under the stewardship of president and GM Glen Sather.

Kovalev, earning $6.6 million this season, can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He was reacquired by New York from Pittsburgh on Feb. 10, 2003, after scoring 149 goals in parts of five seasons with the Penguins, playing much of the time with Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.

This could be the first of many deals for Sather. His underachieving team is still filled with expensive chips -- such as defenseman Brian Leetch and forwards Eric Lindros and Petr Nedved -- that could be attractive for playoff teams.







[Edited on 4-3-2004 by ProudAmerican]

I doubt Lindros will get moved. Not because the Rangers don't want to move him, but because he may never play hockey again.

Believe it or not, Lindros is set to practice tomorrow and could possibly rejoin the team by next week. I just heard this about an hour ago on SportsCenter.

That doesn't make sense for him to rush back from his 8th concussion to a team that is already all but eliminated from the playoffs for a 7th straight year. He'd be better taking the rest of the season off, get his thoughts together, and make a rational decision.

Unless he does get moved, he actually could end up in the middle of a playoff run with another club.

what position does that player play that the Rangers aquiried

Originally posted by hawkeye8424
what position does that player play that the Rangers aquiried

Balej plays right wing.

The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Jozef Balej is 22 years old. He was the Canadiens 3rd round selection and the 78th overall pick in 2000. Through 55 games with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs this season, he amassed a team-high 58 points (25 goals, 33 assists) and plus-19 rating. He played in four games for Montreal this year, registering four shots on goal and a differential of minus-1.

Talent Analysis

Lightning! This is the only word to describe the skating speed of Jozef Balej. His play is impressive to watch. Jozef is an offensive force to watch out for. He's a speedy right winger; if you blink, you might miss him.
He has a quick release with a nose for the net. He's at his best when he's moving his feet consistently, while fighting to enter the offensive zone. When he shoots alot, he scores alot.

www.hockeysfuture.com...

One day after trading Alexei Kovalev, the Rangers continued to clean house on Wednesday by shipping center Petr Nedved to the Oilers.

In exchange for Nedved and goaltender Jussi Markkanen, the Rangers received Dwight Helminen, goaltender Stephen Valiquette and a second-round pick in the upcoming draft.

Nedved, 32, has appeared in 65 games for the Rangers this season, notching 14 goals and 17 assists, along with 42 penalty minutes.

Helminen, 20, continues the Rangers' newfound youth movement. The eighth-round draft pick is a junior at the University of Michigan, where he has 13 goals and 10 assists in 32 games.

Valiquette, 26, had a six-game stint with the Islanders in 1999-2000 and played one game this season with Edmonton. He was 14-14-5 with a 2.59 GAA in 35 games for Toronto of the American Hockey League.

sports.espn.go.com...

this is huge, why the sudden change in the NYR team

Originally posted by Ben
this is huge, why the sudden change in the NYR team

7 consecutive post-season no-shows.

Hard to keep up with all of the Rangers trades.

Brian Leetch helped the New York Rangers end their Stanley Cup drought a decade ago and the Toronto Maple Leafs are hoping he can do the same for them.

The Maple Leafs acquired the two-time Norris Trophy winner and a conditional draft pick Wednesday for defenseman Max Kondratiev, center Jarkko Immonen, a 2004 first-round draft pick and a 2005 second-rounder.

Leetch, 36, has played 57 games for the New York Rangers this season collecting 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) with 24 penalty minutes. He ranks fifth in the NHL in average ice time (26:14) and 10th among NHL defensemen in points. Leetch leads the team in power-play points (19) and average ice time as well as leading all team defensemen in goals, assists, points and shots (165).

The native of Corpus Christi, Texas has captured the James Norris Memorial Trophy on two occasions (1992, 1997), the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1989 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1994. He has been named to the NHL First All-Star Team twice (1992, 1997) and to the NHL Second All-Star Team three times (1991, 1994, 1996). Leetch was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1989 and has played in nine NHL All-Star Games (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002). He won the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994.

sports.espn.go.com...


The Rangers are CLEANING HOUSE!!!

I agree with some of the trades but Leetch? come on he is the best player that they have.

Eric Lindros practiced with the New York Rangers for the first time since suffering his eighth concussion, but he would not say when he expects to be back in the lineup.

Several reports speculated that Lindros, who hasn't played since January 28, could make his return as early as Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. That is just two days before the NHL trading deadline.

There have been a few rumors concerning Lindros' future with the Rangers but nothing is expected to happen as long as he remains sidelined.

Lindros admitted on Tuesday he contemplated retirement following his latest concussion.

"I went through it," Lindros tells the New York Times. "It was a combination of being really depressed about my situation and the physical ailments that go with your mental state."

Lindros added that he is not apprehensive about returning to action with doctors noting that it's been two years between concussions and his recovery time has gone well.

www.tsn.ca...

Godo to see big lindros back in practice. I still cant get over the fact that the Rangers traded away Leetch, he is a ranger, im upset with this.

I live in NY as well and i like the rangers but its about time to get rid of these players they are taking up MONey, and they are doing nothing to help this club out.

Its going to help their salary, and hopefully with the draft picks, they will be able to pick up a couple of defensemen. And hopefully in the long run these prospects will be able to pan out for the RAngers, any more trades on the block?

Rangers just traded LW Chris Simion for a bunch of prospects, including a goalie.

Originally posted by Ben
Rangers just traded LW Chris Simion for a bunch of prospects, including a goalie.

I just saw that they traded SImon away too, Sather is doing his "spring cleaning"

That goalie they got from Calgary isn't a prospect, Jamie McLennan has been around for a few years.

opps my bad, i thought they were still going with the trend of prospects. Have they gotten any d